Chair seat adapter

ABSTRACT

This invention is a two-part double L shaped adapter or brace, for holding a pillow filled cover, to decrease the seating depth of a chair, giving firmer, straighter back support, with the horizontal part of said brace positioned under an existing chair cushion for stability and secure placement. An alternate construction of the pillow filled cover being elongated U-shaped extrusions, attached to the face of each vertical member of said brace, having thereon a heavy vinyl like material attached to and extending from one elongated U-shaped extrusion to the other. The invention is especially suitable for short persons and those desiring a firm vertical back support.

United States Patent [191 Szurszewski 1 CHAIR SEAT ADAPTER [76] Inventor: Dolores Szurszewski, 355

Hawthorne Rd., Pittsburgh, Pa. 15209 [221' Filed: June 28, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 374,540

[52] US. Cl 297/230; 5/327 [51] Int. Cl. A47C 7/42 [58] Field of Search 297/230, 231, 444, 443, 297/352, 252; 5/59 R, 327 B, 327 R, 317 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 257,065 4/1882 Purscll 5/59 R 1,706,794 3/1929 Linebarger 5/327 R 1,975,586 10/1934 Law 5/327 R 2,071,155 2/1937 Alexander... 5/59 R 2,105,336 l/1938 Smith 5/327 B 2,247,720 7/1941 Wonderly 297/443 X 2,579,921 12/1951 Gibbs 5/59 R 2,625,988 1/1953 MacMillan 297/444 X 2,709,817 6/1955 Poyer 5/59 R 2,716,443 8/1955 Laughlin 5/327 R 3,137,012 6/1964 Halterman 5/327 R 3,237,215 3/1966 Fried 5/327 R July 22, 1975 3,302,972 2/1967 Lueder 297/352 3,343,185 9/1967 Neuser 3,639,929 2/1972 lchise 5/327 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,148,365 6/1957 France 297/443 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William .l. Ruano [57] ABSTRACT An alternate construction of the pillow filled cover being elongated U-shaped extrusions, attached to the face of each vertical member of said brace, having thereon a heavy vinyl like material attached to and extending from one elongated U-shaped extrusion to the other.

The invention is especially suitable for short persons and those desiring a firm vertical back support.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures CHAIR SEAT ADAPTER .This invention relates to a chair adapter holding a covered pillow or elongated U-shaped extrusions for decreasing depth of seats of existing chairs or sofas found in the home. Firmer, straighter back support and decreased seating depth would be available for short persons or those will disabilities who find discomfort with the majority of chairs and sofas now in use.

Another object of this invention is the stability and secure placement by inserting the horizontal part under existing chair or sofa cushion, prohibiting brace from falling over or moving out of place.

Still another object and advantage is the ease of storage and packaging by the separation defined in the specifications and claims.

Still another object is the long life, under normal usage, with no moving parts to get out of order.

A still further object and advantage is the different modes of construction.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from a study of the following description taken with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of a completely assembled unit embodying my invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear, perspective view of a completely assembled alternately constructed unit;

FIGS. 3a and 3b are enlarged, fragmentary plan views of a portion of FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively; and

FIG. 3c is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of a portion of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein like parts are indicated by like reference characters throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 shows the adapter of the present invention applied to a sofa cushion 8.

The vertical part of the double L shaped brace of the adapter is constructed of tubing 5 or like material with two cross-pieces 6 of the same material 5, being placed at equal distances from each end of vertical members and joining by welding or brazing to said vertical members for spacing and support. Upper ends of vertical members 5 are capped by caps 20.

The bottom several inches of vertical members 5 of FIG. 1 are slightly decreased in circumference by an inverted U shape crimp 18a (FIG. 3c) giving ease for insertion into socket 18b extending from the horizontal part of brace 7.

Horizontal part 7 also of tubing or like material, is shorter in length as compared to vertical part 18b and having 90-angle extending vertically for several inches to receive crimped components 18a of the vertical part. Both horizontal ends are capped by cap 19. One crosspiece is centered and joined for spacing and support.

Pillow cover 9 having pocket type appendages 10 of several inches in length are placed at seams of the upper rear corners for slipping over capped upper ends of vertical members 5 and having a zipper l2 centered across the bottom of the cover and extending upwards several inches on each side for easy removal of said cover and having ties ll placed at the rear of said cover, low enough for tying below lower cross-piece 6 of vertical part5 with the cover of about 16 inches high being 4 inches shorter than said vertical members 5 and having a minimum of 4 inches in thickness, said cover therefore being filled with a firm filling such as latex foam rubber.

FIG. 2 shows a modification of the invention which incorporates basic ideas of FIG. 1 and is comprised of two elongated U-shaped extrusions of tubing 15, being 4 inches shorter than the vertical members 5 and joined to the face of said vertical members. In keeping with the idea of a pillow cover alternate, the extrusions 15 are joined to the upper face of vertical members 5 and 4 inches up from the ends of said members, leaving said 4 inches exposed. A heavy vinyl like material 16 is stretched across and over the face of U-shaped extrusions 15, having eyelets 17 for reinforcement, evenly spaced along the outer edge of said vinyl l6 and attached to the underside of the extrusion, warding off any change of snagging of clothing.

FIG. 3a shows cap 19 separated from the end of horizontal part 7, and FIG. 3b shows cap 20 separated from the top of vertical tubing 5.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of FIG. 2 with part 18b shown cut-away to more clearly illustrate the slip-fit between the downwardly tapered portion 18a and the socket portion 1812.

To reiterate, the horizontal part 7 of the brace is placed underneath an existing chair or sofa cushion 8 (FIG. I) for stability and necessiating a pillow filled cover 9 and/or extrusions 15 to be 4 inches shorter in height than vertical members 5 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 so the full value of the adapter for making shallower seating depth for small persons can be facilitated.

It is now seen that there is herein provided an improved chair adapter having all of the objects of the in stant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the principles of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What I claim is:

l. A back support for short persons for decreasing the seating depth of a chair or sofa seating cushion, comprising a pair of L-shaped members, crossmembers for rigidly supporting horizontal and vertical legs of said L-shaped members in spaced, parallel relationship, said L-shaped members being of tubular construction and said vertical legs having bottom ends of reduced diameter which slip-fit into vertically upwardly extending extensions of said horizontal legs to form a readily detachable fit therewith, U-shaped elements having extremities secured to the top and bottom portions of said vertical legs, a back-contacting resilient supporting means mounted on said U-shaped elements by fastening means, said U-shaped elements extending in the same direction as said horizontal legs, and said back contacting surface extending in a vertical plane in spaced parallel relationship to said vertical legs by the distance desired for decreasing the seating depth of said seating cushion, said back contacting resilient supporting means comprising a sheet of flexible material stretched between the base portion of said U-shaped elements to serve as said back resting surface, said horizontal legs extending underneath said seating cushion and said vertical legs resting against the back of said chair or sofa cushion, the bottom end of said resilient supporting means being spaced by about the thickness of said seating cushion from said horizontal legs, without obstruction therebetween so as to allow said seating cushion to fit therebetween and extend laterally outwardly of the vertical planes of said L-shaped elements, and so that when a short person is seated, his weight rests on the seating cushion and horizontal legs of said back support to hold the back support firmly in place. 

1. A back support for short persons for decreasing the seating depth of a chair or safa seating cushion, comprising a pair of Lshaped members, cross-members for rigidly supporting horizontal and vertical legs of said L-shaped members in spaced, parallel relationship, said L-shaped members being of tubular construction and said vertical legs having bottom ends of reduced diameter which slip-fit into vertically upwardly extending extensions of said horizontal legs to form a readily detachable fit therewith, U-shaped elements having extremities secured to the top and bottom portions of said vertical legs, a back-contacting resilient supporting means mounted on said U-shaped elements by fastening means, said U-shaped elements extending in the same direction as said horizontal legs, and said back contacting surface extending in a vertical plane in spaced parallel relationship to said vertical legs by the distance desired for decreasing the seating depth of said seating cushion, said back contacting resilient supporting Means comprising a sheet of flexible material stretched between the base portion of said Ushaped elements to serve as said back resting surface, said horizontal legs extending underneath said seating cushion and said vertical legs resting against the back of said chair or sofa cushion, the bottom end of said resilient supporting means being spaced by about the thickness of said seating cushion from said horizontal legs, without obstruction therebetween so as to allow said seating cushion to fit therebetween and extend laterally outwardly of the vertical planes of said L-shaped elements, and so that when a short person is seated, his weight rests on the seating cushion and horizontal legs of said back support to hold the back support firmly in place. 